John J. Pershing VA Medical Center to host Veterans Art Exhibit in July

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KFVS) - The John J. Pershing VA Medical Center will be hosting a Veteran Art Exhibit next month on its main campus in Poplar Bluff.

From July 24-28, all entries will be displayed in the main lobby, and they will be judged at the end of the exhibit on several factors. The entry deadline is June 30, and the winners will be announced during a ceremony on July 28.

Art pieces entered into the exhibit could also be submitted to the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival. Winners of the festival will be announced in December.

The local exhibit and competition is open to any Veteran patient in the John J. Pershing system, including those at the Cape Girardeau VA Health Care Center or community-based outpatient clinics at Farmington, West Plains, and Sikeston.

Veterans can enter the exhibit in any of 50 visual art categories, but their works must have been started after October 1, 2022. These categories include photography, oil painting, woodworking, pottery, sculpture, ceramics, and many more. A special category called “Military Combat Experience” is open to those with recognized combat experience and must include a short narrative.

According to Dale Garret, chief of the facility’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement, this is the second year of the local exhibit. Last year, the event features artworks of 7 Veterans, with pieces from 6 of them moving on to the national competition. This year, Garrett said he hopes for an even larger showing because of the benefits.

“Research has shown that art therapy improves mental health, and we hope we can get more Veterans involved,” Garrett said. “This includes our whole health therapy and other therapy programs, which ultimately enhance our Veterans’ life experience.”

For entry forms and exhibit rules, those interested can contact CDCE staff at 573-778-4276.

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